Page:Rules of Life, Johan Amos Comenius.djvu/15

Rh 1. Always consider, do, and transact former things ﬁrst—better things the rather—late things late—graceful things gracefully—loving things lovingly—divine things divinely--human things humanly, &c.; otherwise you throw into confusion yourself and such things.

2. Let your theories be always inseparable companions with practice. Whatever you know to be good, do it. Whatever good you do, consider whether you do it well, and wherefore you do it, that you be not like unto the Pharisees, who say and do not (Matt. xxiii. 3), or to the Samaritans, who worship and know not what (John iv. 22).

3. Let your internal things be in conformity with your external; i. e. whatever you desire to appear to be, be truly such, otherwise you will be an abomination to God, for His works are truth (Ps. cxi. 7), and He loves truth in us, and hates hypocrisy (Ps. li. 6). Woe to you, hypocrites! who are like to whitened sepulchres, which outwardly look beautiful to men, but inwardly are full of the bones of the dead (Matt. xxiii. 27).

4. Finally, let your thoughts, words, and deeds before men exactly agree; let the heart never dissent from the lip, nor the lip from the hand; a man with a double heart is a monster, &c.

 

The chief good in life is a soul tranquil and serene, and free from the storms of anxiety. That you may attain this blessed port, observe the following things:—

1. Labour to prevent whatever may disturb the mind or conscience, that you may have no share in such things. A multitude or diversity of occupations may disturb the mind, in which, whoever involves himself, will certainly ﬁnd thorns, although occasional roses may appear; therefore that you